City of Ottawa unveils preferred western LRT route

The city of Ottawa in Ontario, Canada, selected the Richmond Underground as the preferred proposed route for the western extension of the city's light-rail service.

The city came to its determination after thoroughly reviewing all options, including two additional possible route solutions that were derived from an independent peer review. This route protects the Byron Linear Park by going under Richmond Road, preserves residents' access to the parkland and pathways along the Sir John A. Macdonald Parkway and the Ottawa River shoreline and will improve and enhance both network and local transit service with the addition of two new transit stations at Cleary and Woodroffe.

"The Richmond Underground proposal would protect the Byron Linear Park and keep light-rail transit off the Sir John A. Macdonald Parkway, while giving neighborhoods easy access to the Confederation Line," said Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson. "We've listened to residents' concerns and examined every alternative to find a viable, affordable route to take the Confederation Line to the west, as we plan the second phase of our world-class light-rail transit line."

After receiving public and stakeholder feedback, a report with the final recommended route will go to Transportation Committee on June 5, then rise to city council.

The approved corridor will be included in the current update of the city's Transportation Master Plan.